In response to worsening climate breakdown, Glasgow’s young people gathered at Garnethill Multicultural Centre at the end of August to to discuss and develop solutions needed to tackle the environmental crisis.

Miss Curtis said: "It's so important that everything that's happening with the environment to be at the forefront of everything that movements like this need to have a variety of different opinions. The discussions will be really useful and able to shape our demands and everything we're presenting to the government within our protests and all the other work that we're doing."

No stranger to the spotlight after blasting the Tory leadership candidates on live television back in June, the straight-talking teenager knows exactly what, and who, she's up against in the fight to change the future.

She said: "Ultimately, I feel like public attitude is shifting and things are beginning to change with awareness of the crisis at an all time high. The politicians have to take notice of that because the votes are with the people at the end of the day."

The busy high school pupil aced her exams last year, scoring As across the board and although she is busy now with Highers, she'll always make time for her activism.

Miss Curtis helped set up her school's Amnesty International group and is passionate about human rights as well as the environment, particularly the axis where they meet.

She said: "I've always been dedicated to my work with the environment. There's a lot to do nowadays. I've always been politically active and definitely with environmental issues because that encompasses so much.

"It's not just a let's save the polar bears issue, it's a human rights issue, it's a refugee issue . I think it's so important to do something about it it affects every aspect of society."

According to new research commissioned by UKSCN, nearly three quarters of Glaswegians (73 per cent) consider climate change to be much “more important” than Brexit, and have no confidence in the UK government’s willingness or ability to tackle climate change.

The survey found seven in 10 Glaswegians (72 per cent) believe the recent climate protests and strikes have boosted public awareness about climate change to drive action, and six in 10 (60 per cent) credit youth climate strikers for ensuring that climate change is on the national agenda.

But the summit was an opportunity to really listen to the changes young people want to see.

Miss Curtis said: "This is what people from Glasgow believe in and it's really useful because we can take that into account with everything that we do in the future and we'll hopefully be able to find a way in the future to communicate that back to the people in power.

"I'm really optimistic that the people are beginning to take notice. And I really, really hope that in the future, we can actually take the leap that we need to solve this issue and to solve the climate catastrophe to the best of our abilities because if we don't it's going to be awful for everyone."

The events brought together a diversity of communities and movements to take action, featuring policy workshops, intergenerational panels – including UKSCN, union leaders and presidents, and green policy experts, as well as music performances and banner creation ahead of the big global strike.

The summit was a much-needed opportunity for the young activists to be heard, said Miss Curtis: "It's really nice that we are being acknowledged in a way that we haven't really been before. I know that a lot of young people feel very disenfranchised and apathetic, when it comes to politics and generally the status quo is that it often feels like we don't have much of a say.

"It's a really very empowering experience to be able to be part of this movement of young people who are actually standing up and saying, you know what, we do deserve a seat at the table and you're going to have to listen to us because this is what we think and this is our future."

Demand is increasing for the UK government to take steps towards a Green New Deal, a set of principles that will underpin policy proposals designed to transform the economy to tackle the climate crisis and address social inequality. The new UKSCN research was designed to review public support for the Green New Deal’s principles and support in Glasgow is strong.

The vast majority (84 per cent) of people in Glasgow believe that the UK government needs to see tackling climate change as an opportunity, not just a cost.

Glaswegians have strong ideas on what needs to be done to tackle climate breakdown including prioritising creating jobs in the green sector, investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency and insulation, and support the creation of a national bank to fund green infrastructure projects.

Almost half of those polled said that climate change policy will be a major factor in the way they vote in the next general election while 58 per cent back the biggest ever global strike later this month.

Miss Curtis said: "September 20th is an opportunity of huge importance. This is a chance for older generations to stand in solidarity with the youth and demonstrate that we are not alone in our fight for a better world. It’s time for all of us to come together and unite in tackling the climate crisis."

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